Play With Your Heart and Your Body Will Follow
by BlurredHorizon
Summary: Adam wants to join the guys soccer team.  But will his mother, the coach, and the team accept him? First fanfic :D Rated T for a tiny bit of language
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: This is my first FanFic ever, so I'm hoping some people will read and enjoy it. I'm sorry if it isn't very good. Anyway, reviews are always helpful! I love the character of Adam and I hope the show continues plots with him as the major character.**

Monday mornings. Adam's least favorite part of the week. He sat next to Eli in homeroom, barely keeping his eyes open. Sav's voice filled the silent classroom as he recited the morning announcements on the television on the wall, but Adam didn't really hear the words. They just sort of drifted by him as he imagined himself under the covers of his warm, comfortable bed. Suddenly, one of the announcements caught his attention. He perked up his ears as Sav said, "Sign ups for soccer will be posted today and tryouts will start this week, so everyone remember to sign up for another kicking season."

Adam had played soccer at his old school. He was so good they had let him play with the boy's team, which had been so great. It had probably been the thing that pushed him to completely change his gender, seeing how well he fit in with the guys on the team and how comfortable it was. The guys hadn't liked having a girl on the team at first, but they soon took Adam under their wing, sticking up for him when players on the other team made a fuss about playing a girl or when kids at school made fun of him. Now that Adam was officially a boy, he figured he would get less crap than he used to at tryouts. But he wondered if he should play. He was afraid of being bullied. Being part of a sports team would open up so many more opportunities for cruel transgender jokes.

The bullying from Fitz flashed before his eyes. Being pushed into lockers, being paired with a girl for a sparing partner, being thrown out of the boys bathroom. He shook his head and his initial excitement over the soccer tryouts faded. He couldn't play on the boy's team. They wouldn't accept him. And he wouldn't dare play for the girl's team. He wasn't a girl. He shook off the disappointment as the bell rang and class officially started. He'd just have to go back to playing in the backyard.

After class, Adam met Drew on his way to his locker. "Sign up for soccer yet?" Drew asked casually, as if it was certain he would.

"I'm not playing," Adam answered, stopping to open up his locker and grab a heavy text book from the shelf. He piled it on top of his binders.

"What?" Drew asked. "Why not?"

Adam shut his locket with his elbow and began walking. Drew followed him, waiting for the response. "I can't, Drew. Nobody on the team will accept me. It's better if I stay invisible."

Drew frowned, thinking. His face lit up as a wonderful idea formed in his mind. "What if your athlete older brother tried out with you?"

Adam looked over at him, amused and unbelieving. "You don't play soccer. You hate it."

"I don't hate it," Drew said. "And I play with you in the backyard all the time."

Adam shook his head. "I don't know..."

"C'mon, it will be great brother bonding," Drew prodded, elbowing his brother playfully. "Just think about it." Drew walked into his class and Adam continued down the hall, deep in thought.

Later that day, Adam passed the bulletin board. He saw the sign up sheet, just a bunch of lines with BOY'S SOCCER printed at the top. Boy's soccer. Signing his name on that list would prove Adam was, in fact, a boy. He could finally do that. With a surge of motivation, he fished a pen from his pocket and scribbled _Adam Torres_ on the first empty line. He noticed Drew's name on the list just a line above his. A smile crept across his face.

"What are you smiling about?" Adam turned to see an angry looking senior towering over him.

"Nothing," Adam answered, trembling slightly. He tried to walk away, but the boy stopped him.

"Are you signing up for soccer?" he asked. Adam nodded. "I'm the Varsity captain of the boy's team. But some people tell me you aren't a boy."

Adam flushed with anger. "I am a boy," Adam said. "And I'm signing up for boy's soccer."

"Now, look," the senior began. "I'm sure you would have a great time playing for the girl's-"

Drew, hearing the conversation, stalked over angrily and cut him off. "Cut it out, Rick. Adam, my _brother_, is trying out for your team and that's the end of it."

"Oh, Drew, didn't see you there," Rick said. "I would love to have your brother try out. Except that he's a-"

Drew stepped forward so his face was just inches from Rick's. "He's a what?" When Rick didn't respond, he said, "That's what I thought." Drew turned to Adam, who was huddled behind his brother in fear and said, "Let's go." He walked away and Adam followed him, but not before turning and sticking his tongue out at Rick, who mouthed 'Fuck you.'

**Author's note: Sorry it is so short. I just want to see what people think of it before I continue. Reviews :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry this chapter is so short. There will be another update really, really soon. As soon as possible. Anyway enjoy!**

***I don't own Degrassi. Why would I be writing FanFiction about it if I did anyway?***

The day of the tryouts approached quickly. Adam hadn't played in a while, but he was in good shape and his touch on the ball was still exceptional for his age. He attributed his fitness to all of the running away he did. Sometimes, when he was sick of his family or stressed out from all the problems at school, he would just put on shorts and a t-shirt and run. So he wasn't the toughest looking person. He wasn't tall or muscular, but he could run like a cheetah. He couldn't wait for the running tests to begin so he could smoke every one of those cocky upperclassmen, which he was confident he could. His brother, Drew, had asked him to train with him for football, needing a partner to push him. So he was in pretty good physical condition, though one would never guess from looking at him.

Adam dug his cleats out of the back of his closet the morning of the tryouts. The silver cleats were worn and slightly dirty, just the way he liked them. Broken in and familiar like an old friend. He packed his old soccer bag with clean socks, shin guards, shorts, a t-shirt, and a sports bra. He hated wearing that thing; why did he have to wear a girl's clothing item? But the sports bra hid his chest exceptionally well and wouldn't fall off like the bandage might. He brought his lucky soccer ball along with him, the one Drew had given him two years ago for Christmas. At last, he was packed and ready to go. As he was walking out the door, his mother called his name.

"Yes, Mom?" Adam replied, slightly annoyed.

"What are you doing with your soccer bag?" She asked.

Adam sighed and rolled his eyes. "Trying out."

His mother's eyes widened. "For which team?"

Adam's face began to flush with anger. He tightened his grip on the strap of his soccer bag. "Goodbye, Mom."

"Adam, wait..." She began. Adam slammed the door behind him forcefully. He jumped into the back of Drew's car.

As they drove from the house, Adam's phone rang. It was his mother. He picked it up reluctantly. "Yes?" He asked impatiently.

"Adam Torres, I swear, if you think you are going to try out for a sport with a bunch of rowdy boys-"

Adam felt anger bubble up inside of him. "Mom, I am a boy! God, why can't you get that through your head?"

Drew, hearing the conversation, motioned for the phone, which Adam gladly gave to him. "Mom, it's Drew. Just let Adam play. Why not? He was on a boy's team before. I know, but... I'm trying out with him, so I will make sure nobody hurts him. Yes, Mom. Of course. You don't need to worry. I'll call you after the tryouts, okay? Bye. Love you, too."

In the back seat, Adam sat with his arms crossed listening to the conversation. "Of course she says yes to you," Adam grumbled.

"Hey, you got what you wanted, didn't you?" Drew asked. He turned on the radio and they sat for the rest of the ride in silence as Adam tried to control his anger.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's note: I told you asap :) Please review if you like it, or if you don't, so I can do it better next time! **

Adam met up with Eli in the hallways. "Hey, you up for hanging after school?" Eli asked. "I just got the new edition of Goon."

"I can't," Adam answered. "I'm busy."

"Oh?" Eli asked, prompting an explanation.

"Drew and I are trying out for soccer," Adam said, looking down. He didn't know how his friend would react, considering he saw most jocks as airheaded losers.

"You are trying out for soccer?" Eli sounded surprised, but not horrified. That was a good sign.

"Is that so unbelievable?" Adam asked, a bit defensive.

"No, I just didn't know you played," Eli answered. "Well, good luck." They arrived at Eli's class and he smirked at his friend before walking into the classroom. Adam had a little bounce in his step as he walked to his own class, even more excited for the tryouts than he had been, and for a second forgetting his nervousness.

Adam and Drew stood on the side of the soccer field, watching some other students warm up as Drew pinned a number to the back of Adam's shirt. "Ow!" Adam winced.

"Oh, sorry," Drew said, readjusting the pin carefully so as not to poke Adam again. "So, you ready for tryouts?"

Adam shrugged as his brother pinned the other side of his number. "As ready as I'll ever be." Drew patted his back to signal that the number was on and Adam scooped his soccer ball onto his foot and began to juggle it.

"Mr. Torres?" Someone called. Adam looked up to see the head coach, Mr. Parnell, walking towards him. "Can I speak to you a moment?" he asked, glancing at Drew as he said this.

Adam, seeing his glance, said, "It's okay; he's my brother."

The coach nodded and continued. "I have been notified of your…condition. Now I cannot prevent you from trying out for the team, but are you sure you want to do this? I mean, these boys are all very strong and I would hate to see you get hurt. And I can't promise that they won't target you either."

Adam sighed. "Thank you for the concern coach, but I am still going to try out."

The coach frowned. "Okay. It's your choice. But don't expect any special treatment." He nodded at Drew and walked away. Adam watched him leave, confused.

"Special treatment?" Adam mumbled to himself.

"Just forget about it," Drew answered. "Tryouts start in fifteen. Let's go warm up."

Adam and Drew jogged around the field together. When they returned to the midfield line where they had started, they found Rick standing in their way. "So you decided to show?" he asked Adam, sounding amused.

"Look," Adam said, walking a bit closer to Rick. "I don't want to have a battle with you. I just want to play."

"Fair enough," Rick answered, still a sneer on his lips. "Let's see what you got."

The coach blew the whistle and everyone ran in. He began his pre-tryout speech. "This team isn't about who made it last year, who I like the most, whose training before this moment was the best. It is about what I see from this moment on. So give it all you've got for the next few days. Don't disappoint me."

The first thing the coach asked the boys to do what line up on the goal line and sprint to the other side of the field. Adam lined up next to Drew. Rick stood on the other side of Adam. When the whistle blew, Rick grabbed the back of Adam's shirt and ripped it back, throwing him to the ground. Before Adam could react, everyone was gone. "Coach!" Adam protested, but Mr. Parnell shook his head.

"What did I say, Mr. Torres?" he inquired insensitively. "No special treatment."

**DISCLAIMER: I still don't own Degrassi. But maybe one day...**


	4. Chapter 4

**Just a short one. I feel bad not updating, but with homework and everything it is kind of tough. I find it easier to read them when they are short anyway, since I am so busy I barely have time to read the ones I follow. Anyway, ENJOY! 3**

*****I don't own Degrassi. But maybe one day...*****

The boys all lined up again, ready for the coach to blow the whistle. Adam, scowling, moved away from Rick. When the whistle blew, he was off. Full on anger, his adrenaline pushed him to the front of the group, ending him first by a long shot. He smiled to himself seeing the astonished look of many of the other boys, especially Rick.

As Drew jogged back next to him, he asked, breathing heavily, "How the hell did you do that?"

"Adrenaline rush," Adam explained. Rick stared at him. Adam smirked back. "Couldn't have done it without you, Rick."

Adam was feeling pretty good about himself after the fitness test. He had done exceptionally well in the sprints, coming first in every one. Rick pissing him off definitely helped his cause. For the second half of the tryouts, the boys would be split into groups to scrimmage. Rick, being the captain of the team, helped split the groups. He put himself with Adam. For a split second, Adam was nervous, even afraid, to be in a group with Rick. But he shook it off. He had something to prove and he wouldn't let anything, especially his emotions, get in the way.

The ball rolled to him and Adam quickly cut it back. He began to run down the wing, passing it off, and getting it right back again, faking out a defender. He was on a role, everything was blurring out, his mind completely excited, yet at ease. This was the reason he played. Just as he pulled his leg back to shoot the ball, he felt someone push him from behind. He fell to the ground and turned to see Rick dribbling away. He knew the coach had seen, but this battle he knew he would have to fight for himself. Drew was on another field, probably also Rick's choice, so he was all alone. A few minutes passed and Rick was dribbling the ball past a defender. Adam positioned himself and, taking a running start, slide tackled Rick so well that he flipped over and the ball went flying out of bounds. Adam popped up, satisfied, and continued to play as if nothing had happened. Rick couldn't do anything; the tackle was legal. On the sidelines, the coach raised his eyebrows and scribbled something down on his clipboard. He didn't know if he wanted a biological girl on the team, but he did know one thing. Whether Adam was a guy or a girl, he could sure play soccer.

At the end of the tryout, the coach brought all of the tired, sweaty boys into a group on the side of the field. He stood before them with his clipboard, his face serous. "Everyone gave a great effort today," he said. "But, unfortunately, that isn't always enough. We only have room for 20 kids on Varsity and 20 on Junior Varsity. That means that roughly 20 of you will be cut. Keep in mind that these decisions are extremely difficult for me and the other coaches. The teams will be posted tomorrow around lunch you to everyone who tried out; I think we are going to have an outstanding team this year."

Drew walked over to Adam after the group broke up. "So, how do you think you did?" he asked, walking with Adam to where their bags were.

"I rocked it!" Adam answered, punching the air. "Booya!"

Drew laughed. "Yeah, I don't think I was so lucky. I'm not that sure how to play soccer. The only thing I can do is kick the ball and sort of tackle. And run."

"Are you actually thinking of playing?" Adam asked, swinging his soccer bag over his shoulder.

"Yeah, it's a beast sport," Drew answered. "Even if I do suck at it. Are you nervous about making it, though?"

"Nah," Adam answered. "I got this one."

**Does Adam get cut or does he make Varsity? Maybe JV? You will have to keep reading to find out! :) **


	5. Chapter 5

**Another short one. Sorry for a few bad typos on the last one, I really try to avoid that, but it is tough when I edit on the website. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this next part. Anyone like Rick? Reviews :)**

***I feel like this goes without saying, but I don't own Degrassi. I do, however, own Rick. Not Rick Murray; he belongs to whoever owns Degrassi. I own Captain Rick the jerk.***

Adam couldn't wait for lunchtime. He was anxious to see the soccer tryout results. He was fairly certain he had made Junior Varsity at least, but he really wanted to play on the Varsity team. All through English class he fidgeted in his seat. Mrs. Dahws' words barely reached him. He scribbled random, illegible notes, his eyes darting to the clock every few seconds. After what seemed like an eternity, the bell rang. Adam jumped out of his seat and bolted out the door, startling Eli and Clare.

He sprinted down the hallway, weaving through students and dodging teachers, to the lunch bulletin board. Right in the middle he saw the list: Boy's Soccer, Varsity/Junior Varsity. His eyes quickly scanned the Varsity. No luck. He sighed, disappointed. _Oh well, _he thought to himself. _Maybe next year. _ His eyes wandered down to the Junior Varsity list. He saw that his brother, somehow, had made the team. Maybe his football skills could be applied to soccer after all. But he couldn't seem to find his name on the list. Drew was the only Torres listed. His face flushed with panic. There must have been some mistake.

Adam again turned and ran through the hallways frantically. He found the door to the coach's office and burst through it, too distraught to remember to knock. Mr. Parnell was sitting at his desk, signing papers. He looked up curiously. "Can I help you?" Mr. Parnell asked.

"Um, yeah," Adam managed between breaths. "My name isn't on the tryouts list. Is there a mistake?"

The coach shook his head. "The lists are correct. I'm sorry Adam, but I just can't have a…well, a girl's body on the team. Even if you feel you are a boy, it won't be too hard for the other team to figure out your sex. And that just ruins the whole team image. We need to seem intimidating. And having a person with a…chest on the team doesn't help us."

Adam was almost speechless. Almost. "But coach," he stuttered. "That's unfair. I deserve it. If I'm good, why does it matter?"

Mr. Parnell sighed. "My decision was also made for the benefit of the boys playing. I don't want them to take the sport less seriously because they are playing with a transgender. You on the team could be insulting to them. I need to keep the team together and happy so we can win. I'm sorry, Mr. Torres."

Now Adam was just completely stunned. He stood looking at the coach with a blank, disbelieving expression, but inside a mixture of confusion, anger, and hate was building up inside of him. Without saying another word to the coach, he turned and ran out of the office. He just wanted to leave. As he was running towards the exit, he bumped into a tall figure. Looking up he saw that it was Rick.

"So," Rick sneered. "Little girl didn't make the team after all."

Rick's comment sent Adam over the edge. Without completely realizing what he was doing, he swung his fist into Rick's jaw. It collided solidly and, as Rick staggered from the force, Adam fled to the doors.

**Seriously, any opinions would be amazing! I will post it either way, though, because I enjoy writing it. I don't really know what is going to happen until I write it, so it is kind of like I'm following the story, too. And right now, I am not too happy with coach. Or Rick. Let's hope they come around soon!**


	6. Chapter 6

**I would like to start this by saying I am a Drew fan, but not a Drew/Alli fan. I'm actually not really an Alli fan at all. But that is beside the point. I hope you enjoy this short little chapter, I just wrote it. :)**

**Disclaimer *I own Degrassi. What are you going to do about it? Just kidding. But not really.***

Drew had been walking to lunch with Alli when he saw his brother. He was about to call out his name when he saw Adam's fist collide with Rick's jaw. As kids crowded around, Drew pushed through the crowd and ran outside. Looking around, he quickly spotted his brother sitting against the brick wall next to the staircase.

"What was that?" Drew asked, running over to his brother and squatting down in front of him. Adam avoided his older brother's worried eyes.

"Nothing," Adam mumbled, looking down at his fingers, which were instinctively crossed. He quickly uncrossed them and squeezed his hands into fists, hoping that if he squeezed hard enough everything would just go blank and he wouldn't have to deal with Rick or soccer or school or himself.

"That wasn't nothing," prodded Drew. "Tell me what happened."

"Just back off, Andrew," Adam growled. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Is it about soccer?" Drew asked. Adam didn't answer, but hearing the word soccer, he tensed and sucked in his breath, feeling angry all over again.

"They cut me," Adam said, and he felt his nails digging into his palms. "I'm not playing. And I don't fucking care. I just want to go home."

"Wait," Drew hurried, as Adam stood up. "How could they cut you? You were one of the best ones there!"

"They cut me because I have boobs, Andrew," Adam muttered angrily. "I just don't want to be here anymore. I don't want to be called a freak anymore." He felt tears in his eyes, but he forced them back. Nobody would get the better of him.

Drew, seeing his brother's eyes water as he fought to hold back the tears, took his keys out of his pocket. "C'mon, Adam," he said. "I will drive you home."

When Adam opened the door, the first thing he saw was his mom with the vacuum. Surprised, he stepped back, bumping into Drew. His mother turned the vacuum off and put her hands on her hips.

"Now just what do you think you are doing home?" She asked them angrily.

Adam opened his mouth to speak, closed it, then ran past his mother up the stairs. She stared at Drew questioningly.

"They cut him," Drew said softly.

It took his mother a moment to realize what he meant. "Oh, from the soccer team? Oh, good. I was hoping they would do that. She just isn't ready to play on a team yet."

Hearing his mother's words, Drew felt an intense anger flood through him, the kind he hadn't felt since Adam first told him that Fitz and Owen hurt him.

"He, Mom! Adam is a boy! And he was ready! Can't you see he is upset? He is hurt and broken and you don't even care! You don't care that the school is discriminating against Adam, but you cared when they did it to me. Why? Why can't you just accept him?" With that, Drew ran upstairs to get away from his mother and check on Adam.

Mrs. Torres sighed. She put away the vacuum, picked up her keys from the kitchen counter, and headed towards Degrassi.

**You are going to be very proud of Mrs. Torres next chapter, she is finally going to come around. Everyone does eventually, right? How can you not end up loving Adam, he is so awesome!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's note: I won't be home tonight, so I thought I would just finish this up and post a quick chapter now. Please tell me what you think, I want my stories to get better! After this one went so well, I might think about posting another one. Don't worry, I won't be posting an EClare story. I think there are already enough of those to last a lifetime of reading.**

**Disclamer: Do I actually have to post this? Does anyone know if it actually matters? Anyway, I don't own Degrassi, which I should think is pretty obvious anyway, but whatever. **

Mr. Simpson walked out of his office and headed to the cafeteria to check on the organization and make a few quick announcements. As he closed the door behind him, his eyes fell on someone. Someone he was very afraid of. Audra Torres.

Before he could try to duck away, she was upon him. "Archie," she called in that menacing voice.

He turned around and plastered on a fake smile. "Audra," he grinned. "How are you?"

She chose not to answer his question. "My son Adam came home very upset just now. He is upset because he was cut from a team he deserved to be on. Do I need to bring it to your intention that if I sued the school on this case, I would win?"

Mr. Simpson's smile faded. "I'm sorry about that, Mrs. Torres. If you would like to meet with the soccer coach—"

"Bring him in."

A few minutes later Mr. Simpson was sitting at his desk and Mrs. Torres and Mr. Parnell were sitting across from him, keeping their distance.

"What is this about?" Mr. Parnell asked. He had already tried to shake Mrs. Torres' hand and she had given him a stare that could freeze over an ocean. He was beginning to feel uncomfortable.

"This is about," Mrs. Torres began angrily, "the fact that my son was cut from a sports team he deserved to be on."

Mr. Parnell looked angrily at Mr. Simpson. "How many times do I have to tell you that I don't want angry parents coming in asking about cuts?"

"I think this is different," Mr. Simpson replied.

Mrs. Torres continued, "Everyone in this room knows why Adam was cut. I would've thought that Degrassi would do anything to improve it's reputation. Is discrimination on that list?"

"It is a _boy's _team!" Mr. Parnell exclaimed incredulously. "You're daughter can not play."

"Adam is a boy!" Mrs. Torres fired back, her face beginning to redden slightly. She took a deep breath to calm herself. "And if he is good enough to be on the team, you should take him because of his skill, not his sex."

Mr. Simpson spoke now directly to the coach. "It is against the law to discriminate. Was Adam good enough to be on the team?"

"Well, of course he was. He was probably good enough to make Varsity. But I just can't have him hurting our team chemistry." Mr. Parnell shifted in his seat uncomfortably.

Mrs. Torres cut in. "That is ridiculous! Ruining your team chemistry? I demand my son be put on the team or I will have no problem calling up my lawyer."

Mr. Simpson sighed. "I'm afraid you are going to have to let Mr. Torres play, Coach Parnell. And you must treat him well. If he can play, let him. Don't let prejudice get the best of you."

"Are you serious?" Mr. Parnell exclaimed, his ears turning bright red with anger. "You are making me take him?"

"Yes," Mr. Simpson said. "I will make sure he is at practice tomorrow."

Still sitting, Mrs. Torres smiled to herself contently. She always got what she wanted. And today was no exception.

Adam sat on the floor leaning against his bed, his chest heaving angrily. He felt tears, but he continued to hold them back. He was a fifteen-year-old _boy. _Boys don't cry.

He heard a soft knock on the door. "Adam, can I come in?" Drew asked.

"I guess," Adam called back.

Drew opened the door and remained in the doorway. "Um, are you okay?" he asked.

"I…I don't know. I'm just sick of everyone being against me. Even my own mother." His eyes began to tear again, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop a single tear from trickling down his cheek. He angrily brushed it away.

Drew, seeing the tear, walked over to his brother and sat down next to him. "Well, I'm not against you," he said. "I'm on your side. Maybe we can do it together?"

"I have to fight this battle myself," Adam said. "I can't be weak."

"You don't have to fight it yourself, though," Drew insisted. "That's what brother's are for." He put his arm around his younger brother and pulled him closer.

Before Adam could stop himself, he found himself crying, leaning into his brother. Drew rubbed his brother's shoulder comfortingly, his arm still around him. "It's okay, buddy. It's gonna be okay."

A few minutes later, Adam wiped his eyes, embarrassed. "I can't believe I just cried."

"It's okay to cry sometimes," Drew said comfortingly. "Don't worry about it."

"All this emotion is making me hungry," Adam joked.

Drew laughed. "C'mon, let's go downstairs and I'll make you a grilled cheese."

Just as they were standing up, their mother burst through the door. Adam jumped backwards and Drew let out a surprised yelp. Their mother was absolutely glowing. "Adam, you are officially on Degrassi Varsity Soccer."

**Author's note II: Yay Mrs. Torres! I knew she would come around sometime. She really does love Adam. And I love Drew and Adam. They are just the cutest brothers! Again, tell me what you think. There will be more to come. Adam is on the team, but that is only battle number one. How will everyone react when he shows up to practice? You're going to have to wait to find out!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry this is so late! I've been in and out of the hospital the last few days (Don't worry, Im fine! Problem solved.) and I haven't had much time. But there might be another update tonight, and definitely one tomorrow if there isn't one tonight. Anyway, this is just one about the practice. I hope you enjoy it! Review? :)**

Adam could feel their eyes on him. When he walked onto the field, everyone turned and stared. He tried not to notice as he threw his bag onto the sidelines of the field. He walked over to where the boys were playing around, juggling the soccer ball and talking about girls. They instantly stopped talking and moved away a bit. Adam sighed and started juggling the soccer ball on his feet, focusing on the rhythmic tapping sound. _Tap tap tap._

"Hey," a voice said. Adam dropped the soccer ball, surprised. It was Zane.

"Hey," Adam said, putting his foot and the ball and looking up. He knew that Zane was an upperclassmen and on the football team, but he had never talked to him before.

"So you're new?" Zane began.

Adam scoffed. "Isn't it obvious?"

Zane chuckled. "It's a tough crowd at first. But they'll come around."

"What do you mean?" Adam asked.

"I'm gay," Zane said. "And the team didn't really accept me at first. But now—" Zane was interrupted as one of the guys ran over and threw his arm around him. "I'm one of the guys."

The boy looked over at Adam. "Who's this, Z?"

Adam put up his hand. "Adam," he said.

"Tim," the other boy said. "You're a freshman?"

"Sophomore," Adam answered. "I transferred here this year."

"Cool," Tim answered. They heard a whistle blow and everyone started jogging over to the coach. "We better go." They all ran over to where most of the boys were already huddled around the coach.

"We have a new member of the team," Mr. Parnell said. "Please welcome Adam Torres." Adam waved awkwardly as everyone stared at him. "Okay, now go warm up."

The coach split the boys into two teams at the end of practice. He was down to the last few kids when his eyes fell on Adam. He had tried so hard at practice, done everything without complaining, and surprised the coach. As hard as Mr. Parnell tried to hide it, he was immensely impressed with Adam's skill. He looked at the two teams and decided he would put Adam on Rick's team. After seeing Adam try so hard at practice, he didn't feel it was fair to let Rick beat on him now.

Rick scowled as Adam walked over to his group. Adam hid at the corner of the grouping and tried to hide himself. No matter how hard he tried, he could not bury his fear of Rick who was not only mean and domineering, but about a half a foot taller than him and a lot bulkier.

The coach blew the whistle and the scrimmage started. Adam got the ball and passed it to Rick. He ran into space and called for Rick to pass it back to him, but Rick instead took it and crossed it to the other side of the field. It went out of bounds. Adam sighed, but shook it off.

Later in the scrimmage, Rick was carrying the ball up the middle of the field. Adam called for it, but Rick kept it, refusing to give it to Adam. One of the boys on the other team tackled Rick and he went down. He grimaced in pain as he held his knee. Adam ran over and stuck out his hand.

Rick looked at him like he had three heads. "You're helping me up?" he asked, surprised.

"We're teammates," Adam explained. "You don't have to like me. But on the field, I'm your friend."

For a second, Rick considered taking Adam's hand. But, feeling taking Adam's hand would be weak, he pushed himself up and growled, "I don't need your help."

"Suit yourself," Adam shrugged and ran back to his position.

At the end of practice, the coach sat everyone down so he could announce the starting lineup. All of the boys sat eagerly with their ears perked. All of the boys except Adam. He knew he wouldn't be chosen to play. Coach hated him. But being able to practice with the team was enough for him, at least for the moment.

"Now keep in mind that this lineup is subject to change throughout the season. I thought very long and hard about my choices and I expect these boys to prove themselves…" Coach Parnell began. He babbled on in a typical coach speech and Adam found himself picking grass. "…And Adam Torres will be playing left midfield." Adam's head popped up as he heard his name. He felt someone pat him on the back and looked over to see Zane. Tim gave him a high five. He didn't want to seem childishly excited, but he couldn't help but beam. He had friends on the team and he was actually going to play. Grinning, he thought to himself, '_This is the best day ever!'_

**I can't believe I just posted the 8th chapter of this story! Wow, I remember starting this on the way to a soccer game and wondering if I could maybe try to post it. Im in love with Degrassi fanfiction, so I figured I could try one and I think it went well. I love the reviews; everyone is so nice and they make my heart warm! 3 Anyway, the next one will probably be centered around game day, either it will start at the game or before when Adam is talking to Drew. I think Drew and Adam are adorable brothers, so I will probably squeeze Drew in somewhere. And I might be leaning towards some romance for Adam, but Im not sure. He deserves a girlfriend, but that's not what this story is about. Maybe I will start a new one soon. So I hope you enjoyed! Feel free to review, positive or negative, opinions, ect. Anything is welcome!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Another really really quick update, I promise from now on I will be on top of these things. I just felt like I needed the little pregame ritual kind of thing. Thanks for the reviews and happy birthday to Degrassifan13!**

Saturday morning. The day he had been working up to the whole week, the whole year, his entire life…Well, that might be a bit dramatic. But to Adam, that Saturday was the biggest day of his life. Every game felt that way, but this game was more important. It meant something. He felt more of Gracie die away as he thought about the fact that he was accepted as a player on a boy's soccer team. As a boy with boy friends that regarded him as a boy. The more he thought about it the more he felt Gracie slipping away and he loved it.

He stared at himself in the mirror. The jersey was baggy; you could hardly tell he had breasts. He looked like one of the boys he had always looked up to and idolized. He put his game face on and winked at himself in the mirror. He felt on top of the world. He was almost too confident to be nervous. Almost, but not quite.

"Adam!" Mrs. Torres called, breaking his thoughts. "You have to come down now if you want to eat breakfast before your game!"

"Coming!" he yelled down. He took a deep breath and, taking one last look in the mirror, bit his lip and silently prayed for good luck in the game, a prayer he had already made silently several times that morning.

Downstairs Drew was already sitting at the kitchen table, eating a pile of pancakes drowned in maple syrup. "Morning," Drew greeted Adam, his mouth half full.

Adam slid into the seat next to Drew and his mother gave him his game day breakfast: three eggs and a piece of toast with five Cheerios on the side for good luck. Five was his lucky number and his soccer number and without the five Cheerios he was convinced he would play terribly.

Adam couldn't focus on his breakfast, though. He kept imagining the game and poking at the eggs with his fork. "If you aren't going to eat those, I will," Drew interrupted his thoughts.

Adam turned to his brother and mumbled. "No, I'm gonna eat them, I was just…thinking."

"Nervous?" Drew asked.

"Just a little," Adam admitted.

Drew smiled. "You'll do great," he assured his younger brother. He stood behind Adam and massaged his shoulders. "C'mon Rolando, you can do it."

"Do you mean Ronaldo?" Adam asked.

Drew nodded. "Yeah, that guy." He patted his brother's back before walking over to put his dishes in the sink. "So, you never told me about Rick. How is he acting?"

"He's avoiding me," Adam answered. "Which is for the better I guess."

Drew smiled sympathetically. "Maybe he will come around. I mean, you are so incredible how can anyone resist?"

Adam smirked at his sarcasm. "Shut up, Drew." There was a moment of silence before Adam spoke again. "Are you coming to my game?"

Drew grinned. "You want me there?"

"Sure, I mean, if you want to come," Adam answered, shoveling more eggs into his mouth. He would never, ever admit to the fact that he needed Drew there to help him feel less nervous.

"Of course I will be there," Drew smiled, knowing that it was really important to Adam that he come, even if he would never say it out loud. He ruffled his little brother's hair. "Come get me when it's time to go."

**Drew and Adam are my life. The next one will be at the game and will probably be the last chapter of this story, but not the last you will see of Adam in my stories. I am going to try to write another Adam one. If anyone has any ideas, but doesn't feel like writing it themselves, submit them. If I use them, I will credit you by putting your pen name above every chapter and let you make the bigger decisions in the story. Yayy joint writing! :) **

**Review?**

**VVV**


	10. Chapter 10

**Game time!**

Game time. Seconds before the whistle is about to blow and you feel that sudden calmness of your mind, just before the chaos kicks in. The game is about to start and nothing else in the world matters. The nervousness fades, all your thoughts fade, and your left with one mission: to win. The meditation of soccer, that is why Adam played. And as he stood in his position, bouncing slightly on his toes, he remembered why he loved the sport so much. Game time.

The whistle blew and the game was on. Adam was filled with excitement, aggression, drive, desire, passion. Only soccer could do this to him. He was eager for a chance to get the ball, to prove that he fit in.

Minutes in and the ball was passed to him. He prepared himself to receive it, but the pass was intercepted. Adam sighed. Already a mistake. Shaking it off, he ran back again to help defend.

At halftime, the score was tied. Everyone was beginning to feel anxious, but none more than Adam. He hadn't played his best and he could not let it be his fault if they lost. He didn't know if he could handle the blame.

Mr. Parnell hesitated as he called the last few names for the second half line up. Adam hadn't been playing his best, but he had seen Adam at practice. Maybe all he needed was a chance. Mr. Parnell decided to give him a few more minutes. If it didn't work out, he would just put in a substitute.

The whistle blew and right away the ball was passed back to Adam. _This is your chance to show everyone you can play, _he thought to himself. _Don't blow it. _ He began to bring the ball up the wing, running with the speed he had worked on for so long. He beat one player with pure speed, but the next defended was coming to him. Without thinking, he stepped over the ball and pulled it back in a perfectly executed Maridonna move. The defender instinctively stuck out his foot to stop Adam, clipping Adam's heal. Adam felt himself lose balance and tumble to the ground. The fall hurt, but he needed to get up. He wouldn't be a wimp. As he turned onto his backside to push himself up, he saw a hand extended to him. He looked up to see Rick staring at him…concerned? Adam took his hand and let Rick help him up.

"You okay?" Rick asked.

Adam nodded, still shocked that Rick had come to help him out. "Does this mean you don't hate me?"

As the referee ran over, blowing his whistle for a foul, Rick admitted, "You're part of the team. I don't hate my teammates. Now go ahead and take this kick."

"Wait, you want me to take the kick?" Adam asked nervously, as the referee moved the ball closer to the spot where the foul was committed.

"I trust you," Rick said as he jogged away. Before Adam could respond or ask him to take it instead, Rick was gone.

Adam starred at the ball in front of him. He backed up a few paces, slowly, and all of the noise faded. He focused intently on the ball, then glanced up at the goal, barely seeing the other boy's shoving each other in front of it. Right now it was just him and the goalie. He picked out where he wanted the ball to go, started his run, swung his foot into the ball with a satisfying smack, and…

It was surreal. The cheering, the teammates running towards him, Mr. Parnell jumping in the air. He didn't celebrate. He was too shocked. He just stood there, stunned, watching the goalie angrily dig the ball out of the back of the net. He felt himself being attacked by his teammates. Rick high fived Adam as the other players on the team patted him on the back. As the jogged back onto their side of the field, his teammates were still saying, "Good job" and "Nice one!" He bounced up and down with excitement as the play reset. He could hear Drew cheering from the sidelines. The feeling of being important, special, _great; _Adam never wanted it to end.

**So this will not be the last chapter JUST KIDDING! I have more things to say. But don't worry, I won't drone on forever. I will be wrapping it up with probably next chapter, maybe one more after that. Review and tell me what you think. Don't be afraid to say what's on your mind or suggest ideas!**


	11. Chapter 11

**The end...**

As the boys filed off the field, Drew ran over and found his brother Adam. "Great game," he complimented, falling into stride with his younger brother.

Adam looked up at him. "We lost," he mumbled. "How is that a good game?"

Before Drew could respond, Rick ran over. "Hey Adam, could I talk to you?"

Adam stopped. "Sure," he answered. Drew shot Rick an angry look, but Adam nodded at him to let him know it was okay.

After a moment, Rick spoke. "I'm sorry for everything I did before. I guess I misjudged you."

"Don't worry about it," Adam said.

"Nice job today," he said.

"You too," Adam replied.

There was an awkward silence before Rick continued, "I better get going. See you at practice Monday."

"See ya."

Drew looked over at Adam, who shrugged and kept walking. "Now are you happy that you tried out?" Drew asked.

"Yeah," Adam admitted.

"And it's all thanks to your big brother," Drew teased, nudging Adam.

Adam bumped him playfully and as they walked off the field, Adam couldn't help but smile as he thought about how great everything was. His life wasn't perfect, but right now it felt pretty awesome.

**Yay, happy endings! So how did you like it? Any ending comments? Anything is welcome. I was so happy to get so many reviews, thanks to everyone who read! Im glad you enjoyed it! 3 **


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